Claudio Ranieri: Leicester’s next five games could make or break title hopes

• League leaders have favourable run of fixtures before international break
• Ranieri: ‘I think this is the key moment for us’

Claudio Ranieri believes Leicester will face a tougher test against Norwich on Saturday than they did against Arsenal nearly a fortnight ago, when they lost 2-1.
Photograph: Plumb Images/Leicester City FC via Getty

Claudio Ranieri believes Leicester City’s next five league matches could define their season and make or break their title hopes. The Premier League leaders take on Norwich City at home on Saturday, followed by West Bromwich Albion on Tuesday and then travel to Watford before hosting Newcastle United and visiting Crystal Palace in what appears to be a relatively benign run of fixtures before next month’s international break.

Although Ranieri is taking nothing for granted and has warned his players that Norwich will be tougher opponents than Arsenal were a little under two weeks ago, when Arsène Wenger’s side scored an injury-time winner to inflict a cruel defeat, the Leicester manager admitted he is targeting the maximum 15 points from a block of games that “could be the key to our season”.

Comparing the pursuit of the title to a horse race, Ranieri said: “I think we are at the turn, there is the last turn, then the run-in. The next five matches are the turn – then the run-in, and the goal is there. I think this is the key moment for us. I’m very focused on these five matches – after we can say where we are: ‘We are here, OK, keep going,’ or: ‘No, what happened?’”

After taking six points from their past three games, against Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool, Ranieri is aware the pressure on his players to perform will intensify over the next few weeks, when Leicester need to reel off victories against relegation strugglers and lower-profile opponents if they are to sustain their unlikely challenge at the top.

“I think this is a good thing to manage, because in the next year we want to grow up and stay at the high level,” the Italian said. “We have to have the confidence to manage this pressure. It’s the first time, it’s new for us but we have to keep doing what we are doing. I want them to be free spirits.”

While Leicester’s rivals in the title race have all been in action since that 2-1 loss at Arsenal, Ranieri was able to give his players the luxury of a week off – something he has never done before in his managerial career. The players were given a fitness programme to follow in their spare time, which was monitored through GPS technology, but essentially it was a chance for them to switch off and relax, as reward for their efforts so far, before returning to training on Monday.

“They are refreshed and ready for the last fight,” said Ranieri, who took the chance to return to Italy and take in Roma’s defeat by Real Madrid in the Champions League. “I told the players the match against Arsenal was easier than the match against Norwich, it will be a big battle on Saturday. Arsenal want to play and to win. Also for the mentality, you are very concentrated against Arsenal. But the players are very hungry because we lost the match [at the Emirates] in the last second.”

With nothing other than the final 12 league games to focus on, Leicester have no distractions between now and their trip to Stamford Bridge on the last day of the season. How much that works in their favour remains to be seen but Ranieri admitted he has been cheering on Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal and Manchester City whenever they play in a cup game.

“I don’t know if it gives me an advantage – but, believe me, I am their fans when they play in Europe: ‘Come on, man!’” Ranieri said, smiling. “The more they win, the more they play, it’s much better for us. It could be an advantage, at the end we’ll see if it was a good opportunity for us or not.”